Data management apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention is concerned with a data management apparatus, in which data recorded by dubbing from a CD-DA (Compact Disc Digital Audio) to a hard disc drive (HDD) ( 31 ) as a second recording medium are supervised by a hard disc recording and/or reproducing unit ( 3 ), which hard disc recording and/or reproducing unit ( 3 ) supervises the identification information of the CD-DA to enable the supplementary information to be obtained via communication means from a network server, and in which the so produced supplementary information is automatically registered in the hard disc recording and/or reproducing unit ( 3 ) to permit the supplementary information, such as the name of music airs, to be produced even in the absence of a user&#39;s input.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 10/276,191, filed April 1,2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,206,792 which is the national application ofPCT Application No. PCT/JP02/02504, filed Mar. 15, 2002, now WO02/075741, which designated the United States and published Sep. 26,2002, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a data management apparatus in which, whendata is to be recorded by dubbing from a first portable recordingmedium, such as a CD-DA (Compact Disc Digital Audio) to a secondrecording medium, such as a hard disc drive (HDD), recorded data, suchas music, is supervised by a database, and in which, the supplementaryinformation, such as name of the music air or an album, is acquired froman outside server, as information site, such as Internet, forregistration automatically in a database.

BACKGROUND ART

As equipment for coping with a recording medium, having audio datarecorded thereon, a CD player, or recording and/or reproducingapparatus, employing a magneto-optical disc, having a diameter of 64 mm,that is MD (Mini-Disc) (trademark), as a recording medium, is now inuse.

On the part of the user, the operation of dubbing a music air recordedin e.g., a CD, on a MD, is sometimes carried out by way of dubbing audiodata, as an example.

It has recently been proposed to record e.g., music airs, recorded on aportable recording medium, such as CD or MD, on a bard disc drive (HDD),by way of dubbing, and to use the HDD for example as a music providingserver.

In the CD or MD, one or more programs (tracks) are recorded, with a solemusic number, for example, as a program or a track, with the entireprograms or tracks making up a sole album. In the operation of dubbingthe CD or the MD, as a recording source, to another recording medium,the dubbing operation may be preformed on the CD in its entirety, thatis on the album basis, or on only the track(s) as specified by the user.

It should be noted that, in certain conventional audio equipment, notonly the music data but also the supplementary information for theentire album or the individual music number(s) can be recorded. Thesupplementary information here refers to text data, such as album nameor the name of the music air(s), recording date and time, or copyrightinformation (SRC: International Standard Recording Code). In the case ofa Mini_Disc (MD) system, for example, the names of the music air, albumname or the recording date and time can be recorded in association witheach recorded music number or the entire album. However, in inputtingthe text data, such as the names of the music airs, the user has toenter the text using an operating system of an MD recording device by anextremely laborious operation. In many cases, a large number of usersmerely enjoy the music, without inputting the names of the music airs oralbum names.

Although the recording equipment may be connected to a PC (personalcomputer) to make use of the PC keyboard as an aid in inputting thetext, this cannot be said to relieve the user of the load in inputtingthe music air name or album name.

Moreover, if the user is to input text data, such as the name of themusic air, lie or she must grasp, as a matter of course, from whichtrack number of the CD a music air now recorded has been recorded bydubbing. For example, if the user selectively recorded plural music airsfrom a large number of CDs, there may be occasions where the names ofthe music air, recorded on the MD, become unclear, that is the user isunable to input the names of the music numbers, unless the user is wellaware of the music airs.

It may also occur frequently that, in the case of an apparatus adaptedfor dubbing a large number of CDs to an HDD, the relationship ofcorrespondence between the music airs recorded by dubbing on the HDD andthe CDs as the recording source becomes unclear for the user.

As outside servers, such as music air information sites, such as theInternet, there are many services of presenting the names of the musicairs recorded on a CD and the supplementary information. If it hasbecome unclear from which CD the CD album recorded by dubbing to e.g., aHDD is originated, it becomes impossible to enjoy the services presentedby the outside servers.

That is, although correlated recording of the supplementary informationin association with data, such as music data, recorded on the recordingmedium, has recently been achieved in a variety of recording systems,there are many cases where the information which relies to some extenton the user input, such as text information, is actually not recorded inthese systems, such that, in many cases, the text information cannot beutilized effectively.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above depicted status of the art, it is an object of thepresent invention to provide a data management apparatus in which, whendata may be recorded by dubbing from a first portable recording medium,such as a CD-DA (Compact Disc Digital Audio), to a second recordingmedium, having an extremely large storage capacity, such as a hard discdrive (HDD), and the data so recorded by dubbing may be supervised, theapparatus acquires the supplementary information automatically, that iseven in the absence of actuation by the user, and executes registrationand management in association with the data, such as music airs,thereby. enhancing the ease in use and convenience for the user.

For accomplishing the object, the present invention provides a datamanagement apparatus including reproducing means for reproducing aportable first recording medium, recording and/or reproducing means forrecording and/or reproducing a second recording medium having a capacitylarger than that of music first recording medium, database means forstoring the identification information medium and the supplementaryinformation of music first recording, in association with datareproduced from music reproducing means by music reproducing means andrecorded on music second recording medium by music recording and/orreproducing means, communication means for communicating with anexternal server holding the various supplementary information inassociation with music first recording medium, and controlling means forcausing music communication means to transmit the identificationinformation of music first recording medium, supervised by musicdatabase means in association with the data recorded on music secondrecording medium, by music communication means to music external server,to have the supplementary information pertinent to music first recordingmedium received from music external server to have the so receivedsupplementary information stored in music database means in associationwith music identification information.

In the data management apparatus according to the present invention, oneor more programs (tracks) and the management information for supervisingthe program are recorded on the first recording medium and theidentification information is generated based on the managementinformation.

In the first recording medium, there are recorded one or more programs,and data reproduced from the first recording medium by the reproducingmeans and recorded on the second recording medium by the recordingand/or reproducing means is made program-based data. If the databasemeans forms a database with a database file including the identificationinformation and the supplementary information as one unit, theprogram-based data recorded on the second recording medium includes thepointer information indicating the database file associated with thedata.

There is provided a data group management file for supervising one orplural data as the program-based data as a group of data that are to bereproduced in a preset order. The data group management file includesthe pointer information indicating one or more database files associatedwith each data of the group of data to be supervised.

The controlling means of the data management apparatus according to thepresent invention causes the communication means to send theidentification information of the first recording medium supervised bythe database means to an external server to cause the supplementaryinformation for the first recording medium in its entirety to bereceived from the external server to store the received supplementaryinformation in the database means in association with the identificationinformation. Alternatively, the controlling means causes thesupplementary information for a fraction of programs recorded on thefirst recording medium to be received from the external server to storethe received supplementary information in the database means inassociation with the identification information.

In the data management apparatus according to the present invention, thedata recorded on dubbing from the first recording medium to the secondrecording medium are supervised by database means. The supplementaryinformation can be obtained from the external server by supervising theidentification information of the first recording medium. The soproduced supplementary information is automatically registered in thedatabase means to enable the supplementary information such as the nameof the music air, to be obtained even in the absence of a user's input.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome more apparent from reading the embodiments of the presentinvention as shown in the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a dubbing device making up a datamanagement apparatus according to the present invention and a personalcomputer.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a CD reproducing unit making up thedata management apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an HD recording and/or reproducingunit making up the data management apparatus according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a speech input/output unit.

FIG. 5 shows a frame structure of the CD system.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show a sub-coding system of the CD system.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show sub-Q data of the CD system, where FIG. 7A showssub-Q data in a lead-in area (TOC) and FIG. 7 b shows sub-Q data oftracks #1 to #n and a lead-out area.

FIG. 8 shows a TOC structure of data with six tracks of the CD system.

FIG. 9 shows a file structure of the HDD.

FIG. 10 shows a music data file.

FIGS. 11A and 11B show a music air play order management file.

FIGS. 12A and 12B show the configuration of an album management file.

FIG. 13 shows a database file.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show a flowchart showing the processing sequence indubbing.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the HD recording processing sequence indubbing.

FIGS. 17 to 19 show flowcharts showing the processing sequence ofautomatic acquisition of the supplementary information.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As an embodiment of the data management device according to the presentinvention, a dubbing device which is adapted for automatically recordinga program, such as music air data, also termed a track, reproduced froma CD, on a HDD, by dubbing, and which includes a function of supervisingthe dubbing data based on database management, is hereinafter explained.

Although a dubbing device and a personal computer are interconnected inthe present embodiment to make up a data management device of thepresent invention, the present invention is not limited to thisconfiguration.

The embodiment of the present invention is explained in the followingorder:

-   1. Structure of a dubbing device-   2. Structure of a CD reproducing unit-   3. Structure of a HD recording and/or reproducing unit-   4. Structure of a speech input/output unit-   5. Sub-codes and TOC of a CD-   6. File structure recorded in a HDD-   7. Database-   8. Dubbing operation-   9. Operation of acquiring the supplementary information-   10. Other embodiments    1. Structure of a Dubbing Device

A dubbing device 100 according to the present invention is made up by asystem controller 1, a CD reproducing unit 2, a HD recording and/orreproducing unit 3, a speech input/output unit 4, an operating unit 5, adisplay unit 6 and an interface 7, as shown in FIG. 1. This dubbingdevice 100 is connected to a personal computer 101 to form a datamanagement device. In such case, the personal computer 101 mainlyperforms the role of communication means. In the dubbing device 100, thesystem controller 1, CD reproducing unit 2 and the HD recording and/orreproducing unit 3 are capable of exchanging various control signals CSwith one another by, for example, an interconnecting bus structure. Thesystem controller 1 sends control signals CS to the reproducing unit 2and to the HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3 to cause thereproducing unit 2 and the HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3 toexecute the respective required operations. The CD reproducing unit 2and the HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3 transmit answer signalsto the control signals CS, the information pertinent to the operatingstates (status), undetermined sub-codes or TOC, and other necessaryinformation, to the system controller 1.

The system controller 1 is formed by a micro-computer, and controls theoverall operations based on the control signals CS supplied thereto. Thesystem controller 1 is supplied with an input from the operating unit 5.The operating unit 5 is provided with for example a power supply key, anejection key, a replay key, a pause key, a stop key, an air selectionkey or a recording key, and is acted on by a user. The system controller1 is responsive to an actuation from the operating unit 5 to commandoperations to be executed by the CD reproducing unit 2 and the HDrecording and/or reproducing unit 3 by the control signals CS. Among theoperations, that can be executed, there may, for example, be anoperation by a user specifying a CD track number to command reproductionof an optional music air, an operation by the user specifying thesequence of music air reproduction, by way of a so-called programreproduction, and an operation reproducing the music airs in a randomsequence, by way of a so-called shuffle reproduction. An operator mayalso be provided which enables letters or characters to be input inorder for the operator to input the supplementary information, such astitle or name of the music air.

To the system controller 1 is connected the display unit 6, so that thesystem controller 1 is able to send display data to the display unit 6to permit the display unit to execute the necessary display. Forexample, the time information, such as total playing time, time elapsedsince the start of a music air being performed, the remnant play time ofthe music air being performed, or the overall remnant play time, or thetrack number of the music air being performed, is displayed on thedisplay unit 6. In the case of a disc, having recorded thereon a discname (album name) or a track name, the disc name or the track name isdisplayed.

The CD reproducing unit 2 is a site where a CD-DA as the first recordingmedium is loaded and reproduced. Although the detailed structure is tobe explained subsequently in detail, audio data S1 (PCM digital audiodata), reproduced from the CD, is sent to the speech input/output unit 4and to the HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3.

It is noted that the CD reproducing unit 2 is capable of reproducingmusic data of the CD type disc, and is adapted to cope with the CD-DA,insofar as the present description is concerned. However, even if musicdata has been recorded on other CD type disc, for example, a CD-R orCD-RW, the CD reproducing unit is able to reproduce the music data insimilar manner. There is also a disc, termed a CD text, as a type of theCD-DA, in which text data is recorded in the sub-code. In such case, themusic data can be reproduced, while the text data can also be reproducedfrom the sub-code.

Although the first recording medium in the present embodiment is a CD,the first recording medium may also be other discs, such as MD, memorycard, DATA (digital audio tape) or other mediums. In such case, it issufficient that a reproducing unit for a CD, a memory card or a DATA(digital audio tape) may be provided in place of or in addition to theCD reproducing unit 2.

The recording and/or reproducing unit 3 is a site provided with a HDD asa large-capacity second recording medium for recording and/orreproducing data for the HDD. The HDD, as the second recording medium,has a capacity appreciably larger than that of the CD as the firstrecording medium, such as a capacity of tens of GB. To the recordingand/or reproducing unit 3, the structure of which will be explainedsubsequently, audio data S1 from the CD reproducing unit 2 and audiodata S2 from the speech input/output unit 4 (PCM digital audio data) canbe input, so that the recording and/or reproducing unit 3 is able torecord these audio data S1 and S2 on the HDD. The audio data S1 and S2may, for example music data signals conforming to IEC60958. The audiodata S3 reproduced from the HDD may also be output to the speechinput/output unit 4.

The speech input/output unit 4 is a site for inputting/outputting audiodata, and outputs audio data reproduced from the CD reproducing unit 2or the HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3 to a loudspeaker system orto other equipment, while receiving audio data supplied from otherequipment (digital audio data or analog audio signals). The systemcontroller 1 also controls an input/output route, through the speechinput/output unit 4, based on a changeover control signal CSW, as willbe explained in detail subsequently.

The system controller 1 is connected over the interface 7 to thepersonal computer 101. For example, the personal computer 101 and thesystem controller 1 communicate with each other with clock asynchronousserial signals. The connection is by a serial cable or a USB cableroutinely used on a computer. An application, operating on the personalcomputer 101, is able to control the system controller 1 to cause thedubbing device 100 to execute a required operation.

The personal computer 101 has a function of network communication, suchas over the Internet, by a preset communication network, and is capableof communication with an external server, not shown. The external serverhere means an information site extending services of furnishing thesupplementary information concerning the commercially available CDs.Specifically, the external server retrieves the relevant CD responsiveto the CD identification information to furnish the supplementaryinformation for the CD, for example, album name, name of the music airsrecorded, or ISRC. The personal computer 101, communicating with suchexternal server, is able to acquire the supplementary information. Forexecuting the communication processing for acquiring the supplementaryinformation, the personal computer 101 includes an application softwarefor automatic acquisition of the supplementary information. As will beexplained subsequently with reference to FIGS. 17 to 19, the operationof automatically acquiring the supplementary information, as anoperation characteristic of the present embodiment, can be accomplishedby concerted processing by the application software and the systemcontroller 1.

The application software, operating on the personal computer 101, isable to display the CD music air information or the information recordedon the HDD, visually intelligibly, through use of GUI, to permit theuser to edit the information on this application software. For example,GUI operations may be made on e.g., a monitor display, not shown,connected to the personal computer 101.

In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the personal computer 101has the function as communication means and a portion of the function ofcontrol means for automatic acquisition of the supplementaryinformation. It is however possible to provide a network communicationunit in the dubbing device 100 and to enable the system controller 1 toperform communication operation control to render the connection betweenthe system controller and the personal computer 101 redundant.

2. Structure of a CD Reproducing Unit

The CD reproducing unit 2, used in the data management device of thepresent invention, has a structure shown in FIG. 2. A disc 90 is a CDloaded on the CD reproducing unit 2. During the CD reproducingoperation, the disc 90 is rotationally driven at a constant linearvelocity (CLV) by a spindle motor 22. By an optical head 23, datarecorded in bits on the disc 90 are read out and supplied to an RFamplifier 25.

For reading out data from the disc 90, there are provided, in theoptical head 23, a laser diode, as a laser light source, a photodetectorfor detecting the reflected light, an objective lens as an output end ofthe laser light, and an optical system for illuminating the laser lightthrough an objective lens to a disc recording surface or routing thereflected light to the photodetector.

The objective lens is supported by a biaxial actuator for movement inthe focussing direction parallel lo the optical axis and in the trackingdirection perpendicular to the optical axis. The optical head 23 in itsentirety is supported by a sled mechanism 24 for movement along theradius of the optical disc.

The RF amplifier 25 generates focussing error signals and tracking errorsignals, in addition to the replay RF signals. These error signals aresent to a servo circuit 27. The servo circuit 27 generates focussingdriving signals, tracking driving signals and sled driving signals, fromthe focussing and tracking error signals, to control the operation ofthe biaxial mechanism or the sled mechanism 24 in the optical head 23.The servo circuit 27 is responsive to low range components of thetracking error signals or to an access command signal from the CDcontroller 21 to generate sled driving signals to control the sledmechanism 24 to cause movement of the optical head 23. The servo circuit27 also generates spindle driving signals, based on the spindle errorsignals or spindle kick/braking signals, supplied from the decoder 26 orfrom the CD controller 21, to control the movement of the spindle motor22.

The reproduced RF signals, output from the RF amplifier 25, are sent tothe decoder 26, which decoder 26 executes EFM demodulation and CIRCdecoding to decode the information read out from the disc 90 intodigital audio data S1, sampled with 44.1 kHz and quantized in 16 bits.The digital audio data are sent to the HD recording and/or reproducingunit 3 and to the speech input/output unit 4 shown in FIG. 1. Thecontrol data, such as TOC or sub-codes, extracted from the decoder 26,are supplied to the CD controller 21 for use in variegated controlpurposes.

The CD controller 21 is a micro-computer for controlling the CDreproducing unit 2. During reproduction of a disc 90 (CD), it isnecessary to read out the management information recorded on the CD,that is the TOC. Based on this management information, the CD controller21 finds the number of tracks recorded on the disc 90 or the address ofeach track to control the reproducing operation. Thus, when the disc 90is loaded, the CD controller 21 reads out the TOC, by reproducing theinnermost rim of the disc, where the TOC has been recorded, and causesthe so read out TOC to be stored in the inner RAM, for reference at thetime of the subsequent disc reproducing operation.

If the disc 90 is the CD text, text data are recorded in the sub-codeforming the TOC data. In reading the TOC, the CD controller 21 reads inthis text data, when reading in the TOC, to store the so read-in textdata in an inner RAM. There is also a node in which the text data isrecorded not in the so-called TOC area, but in the sub-code in theprogram area. In such case, the text data is captured, along with thesub-code data, which is extracted as the reproduction of the program(track) proceeds.

The CD controller 21 is able to exchange various control signals CS withthe system controller 1 or with the HD recording and/or reproducing unit3 (HD controller 31 within the HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3 aslater explained) as shown in FIG. 1. For example, when the operatingunit 5 is acted on to initiate such operations as CD reproduction, fastfeed (FF), rewind (REW), automatic index search (AMS), pause (transientstop), stop, or dubbing, the system controller 1 sends the operationinformation for these operations to the CD controller 21. Responsive tothe operation information, the CD controller 21 controls the variousportions of the CD reproducing unit 2 to execute the operationscontemplated by the user. The CD controller 21 also sends the operatingstate of the CD reproducing unit 2, TOC information or the textinformation, read-in from the disc 90, or the time information(addresses) during CD replay, to the system controller 1. Based on theinformation from the CD controller 21, the system controller 1 is ableto comprehend the operating state of the CD reproducing unit 2 and tocause the display unit 6 to demonstrate the aforementioned variegateddisplay based on the TOC or the sub-code information.

The CD controller 21 exchanges variegated information between it and theHD recording and/or reproducing unit 3, at the time of the dubbingoperation, as will be specifically explained later in detail.

3. Structure of a HD Recording and/or Reproducing Unit

The HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3, forming the data managementapparatus of the present invention, is configured as shown in FIG. 3.The HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3, shown in FIG. 3, includes aHDD (hard disc drive) 32, as a second recording medium of a largercapacity. A HD controller 31 is a controller for controlling theoperation of the HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3. In the insideof the HD controller 31, there is loaded a mechanisms termed a filesystem for achieving access, readout and write for the HDD 32. This filesystem may, for example, be a FAT32 file system.

The HD controller 31 is able to exchange various control signals CS withthe system controller 1 and with the CD reproducing unit 2 (CDcontroller 21), as shown in FIG. 1. When dubbing the replay data fromthe CD reproducing unit 2, as later explained, to the HDD 32, the systemcontroller 1 issues dubbing and other commands to the HD controller 31.The CD controller 21 sends the TOC information or the text informationas read in from the disc 90 being reproduced. The TOC information etc.,is used for generating the disc identification information in a databaseas later explained. The HD controller 31 sends the information pertinentto the operating state (status) or the dubbing operation to the systemcontroller 1 and to the CD controller 21.

The HDD 32 writes/reads out data under control by the HD controller 31.In particular, the digital audio data S1, reproduced by the CDreproducing unit 2, or the digital audio data S2, supplied from thespeech input/output unit 4, are processed in a preset manner and arethen recorded on the HDD 32. The recorded data are managed by the FAT 32file system. The recorded data are read out by the HD controller 31 soas to be supplied to and output at the speech input/output unit 4. Forexample, if the user has performed an operation of specifying, forexample, a music air recorded on the HDD 32, from the operating unit 5,for reproduction, the system controller 1 sends the operatinginformation to the HD controller 31. The HD controller 31 then causesthe data of the specified music air, for example, to be reproduced fromthe HDD 32, to send the so reproduced music air as audio data S3 to thespeech input/output unit 4.

For supervising the data recorded on the HDD 32, a database forrecording the CD identification information or the supplementaryinformation concerning the CD is provided in the HDD 32. The HDcontroller 31 is able to reference and update the database stored in theHDD 32 as necessary.

A speech compression encoding/decoding circuit 33 and a buffer memory 34are the sites for processing the recording data or the replay data ofthe HD 32. To the HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3, the digitalaudio data S1, reproduced by the CD reproducing unit 2, or the digitalaudio data S2, supplied from the speech input/output unit 4, are input.These digital audio data S1, S2, thus input, are compressed by thespeech compression encoding/decoding circuit 33 by, for example, theATRAC3 compression system. The digital audio data, thus compressed, arestored in the buffer memory 34 for recording on the HDD 32 under controlby the HD controller 31. When reproduced from the HDD 32, the data readout from the HDD 32 by the HD controller 31 is stored in the buffermemory 34. The data is then read out at a preset rate from the buffermemory 34 so as to be expanded in the speech compressionencoding/decoding circuit 33. This annuls the compression of the ATRAC3system so that the data are output as ordinary digital audio data S3 atthe speech input/output unit 4.

It should be noted that the compression system does not have to be theATRAC3 but may be other compression system, such as the MPEG audiosystem. Alternatively, the data may be recorded uncompressed on the HDD32. The data recorded on the HDD 32 may be encrypted and the data soencrypted may be decrypted at the time of reproduction.

4. Structure of a Speech Input/Output Unit

The speech input/output unit 4, forming the data management apparatusaccording to the present invention, may be configured as shown in FIG.4. The speech input/output unit 4, shown in FIG. 4, is provided with anoutput terminal 41 for analog audio signals, an input terminal 42 foranalog audio signals, an output terminal 43 for the analog audio data,an input terminal 44 for the digital audio data, D/A converters 45, 46,an A/D converter 47, a digital interface 48, and switches 49, 50. Tothis speech input/output unit 4, the digital audio data S1, reproducedby the CD reproducing unit 2, or the digital audio data S3, reproducedby the HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3, are supplied.

During the time of reproduction in the CD reproducing unit 2, the systemcontroller 1 causes the switch 49 to be connected to a tc terminal bythe changeover control signal CSW. Consequently, the digital audio dataS3 from the HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3 are converted by theD/A converter 46 into analog audio signals, which are supplied throughswitch 49 to the output terminal 41 so as to be output as analog audiosignals. The analog audio signals from the output terminal 41 areamplified by a power amplifier circuit and output via a loudspeaker orsent to other equipment as a line output.

The digital audio data S1, reproduced by the CD reproducing unit 2, orthe digital audio data S3, reproduced by the HD recording and/orreproducing unit 3, are also supplied to the digital interface 48. Thisdigital interface 48 encodes the digital audio data S1 or S3, suppliedthereto, in the transmission data configuration as the digital interfaceformat, and outputs the resulting encoded data at the output terminal43. That is, the reproduced speech can be transmitted to other equipmentin a digital audio data configuration.

The HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3 is able to record not onlythe digital audio data S1 from the CD reproducing unit 2, but also thedigital audio data S2 supplied from the speech input/output unit 4, onthe HDD 32. To this end, the speech input/output unit 4 outputs thedigital audio data S2 as follows:

First, if the analog audio signals from an external equipment is inputto the input terminal 42, the analog audio signals are converted by theA/D converter 47 into digital audio data with the sampling frequency of44.1 kHz and with the number of quantization bits of 16. The systemcontroller 1 then causes a movable terminal of the switch 50 to beconnected by the changeover control signal CSW to terminal ta, so thatan output of the A/D converter 47 is sent as digital audio data S2 tothe HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3. When digital audio data fromthe external equipment is input to the input terminal 44, the input datais decoded by the digital interface 48. At this time, the systemcontroller 1 causes the movable terminal of the switch 50 to beconnected by the changeover control signal CSW to terminal td.Consequently, an output decoded by the digital interface is sent as thedigital audio data S2 to the HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3. Itis also possible to supply the digital audio data S1, reproduced by theCD reproducing unit 2, to the HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3 asthe digital audio data S2 through the digital interface 48.

5. Sub-Codes and TOC of a CD

The sub-code recorded along with main data on the disc of the CD format,and the TOC, recorded in its lead-in area, are hereinafter explained.

The minimum unit of data, recorded on the CD type disc, is a frame, with98 such frames making up one block.

FIG. 5 shows the structure of one frame.

One frame is made up by 588 bits, of which leading 24 bits representsynchronization data and the next following 14 bits represent a sub-codedata area, which is followed by data and parities. 98 such frames makeup one block. The sub-code data taken out from these 98 frames arecollected to form one block of the sub-code data shown in FIG. 6A(sub-coding frame). The sub-code data from the first and second frames(frame 98 n+1 and frame 98 n+2) of the 98 frames are used assynchronization pattern. The third frame up to the number 98 frame(frame 98 n+3 up to frame 98 n+98) make up sub-code data (channel data)of channels P, Q, R, S, T, U, V and W, each being made up of 96 bits. Ofthese, the P and Q channels are used for e.g., access management. Itshould be noted that the P channel represents a pause portion betweenneighboring tracks such that finer control is taken charge of by theQ-channel (Q1 to Q96). The 96 bit Q-channel data are constructed asshown in FIG. 6B.

First, four bits of Q1 to Q4 are used as control data, that is fordiscriminating the number of audio channels, emphasis, CD-ROM, orwhether or not digital copying is possible.

The four bits of Q5 to Q8 serve as ADR for indicating the sub-Q datamode. Specifically, the four bits of ADR express the following modes(contents of the sub-Q data):

-   0000: mode 0 . . . basically the sub-Q data are all zero (used in a    CD-RW)-   0001: mode 1 . . . ordinary mode-   0010: mode 2 . . . denotes a disc catalog number-   0011: mode 3 . . . denotes e.g., ISRC (International Standard    Recording Code)-   0100: mode 4 . . . used in a CD-V-   0101: mode 5 . . . used in a multi-session type medium, such as    CD-R, CD-RW or CD-EXTRA

The 72 bits of Q9 to Q80, next following the ADR, are used as sub-Qdata, while the remaining bits Q81 to Q96 are used as CRC.

It is when the ADR indicates the mode 1 that the address is expressed bythe sub-Q data.

The sub-Q data and the TOC structure for the case of ADR=mode 1 areexplained with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

In the disc lead-in area, the sub-Q data recorded therein is no otherthan the TOC information. That is, the 72 bit sub-Q data of from Q9 toQ80 in the Q-channel data read in from the lead-in area has theinformation as shown in FIG. 7A. Meanwhile, FIG. 7A shows the portion ofthe 72-bit sub-Q data of the structure of FIG. 6B in the lead-in area inmore detail. The sub-Q data each has eight bits of data and representsthe TOC information.

First, a track number (TNO) is recorded with eight bits of Q9 to Q16. Inthe lead-in area, the track number is fixed at [00].

A point (POINT) is depicted by eight bits of from Q17 to Q24.

The eight bits each of Q25 to Q32, Q33 to Q40 and Q41 to Q48 denote MIN(minute), SEC (second) and FRAME (frame), as elapsed time in a lead-inarea, respectively.

Q49 to Q56 are set to “00000000”.

The eight bits each of Q57 to Q64, Q65 to Q72 and Q73 to Q80 recordPMIN, PSEC and PFRAME, respectively. The meanings of the PMIN, PSEC andPFRAME are determined by the POINT values.

If the POINT value is from “01” to “99”, these POINT values denote thetrack numbers. As for the PMIN, PSEC and PFRAME, the start point of atrack of a given track number (absolute time address) is recorded asminutes (PMIN), seconds (PSEC) and frames (PFRAME).

If the POINT value is “A0”, the track number of the first track isrecorded in PMIN. The distinction of the specifications, such as thoseof the CD-DA (digital audio), CD-I or CD-ROM (XA specifications) is madedepending on the PSEC value. If the POINT value is “A1”, the tracknumber of the last track is recorded in PMIN. If the POINT value is“A2”, the start point of the lead-out area is indicated in the PMIN,PSEC and PFRAME as the absolute time address (minute (PMIN), second(PSEC) and frame (PFRAME)).

If a disc has for example six tracks (six programs or six music airs)recorded thereon, data are recorded as shown in FIG. 8 as the TOC bythese sub-Q data. Since it is the TOC that is recorded, the track numberTNO is all zero or “00” as shown. The block NO means the number ofone-unit sub-Q data read-in as the as block data of 98 frames(sub-coding frame) described above. The same contents are written overthree blocks for each TOC data. If the POINT is “01” to “06” as shown,start points of the first track #1 to the sixth track #6 are indicatedas the PMIN, PSEC and PFRAME.

If the POINT is “A1”, “01” is shown as the first track number in PMIN.The disc may be discriminated by the value of the PSEC which is “00” ifthe disc is a CD for usual audio. If the disc is the CD-ROM (XAspecifications), PSEC=“20”. The track number of the last track isrecorded in PMIN at “A1” of the POINT value, while the start point ofthe lead-out area is indicated in PMIN, PSEC and PFRAME at “A2” of thePOINT value. In the blocks n+27 ff, the contents of the blocks n to n+26are repeatedly recorded.

In the program area, where music airs etc are recorded as tracks #1 to#n, and in the lead-out area, the sub-Q data recorded there has theinformation shown in FIG. 7B. In this figure, the structure of FIG. 6Bin the program area and in the lead-out area is shown in detail for the72-bit sub-Q data portion.

In this case, the track number (TNO) is recorded as eight bits of fromQ9 to Q16. In the tracks #1 to #n, the track number assumes any ofvalues from “01” to “99”. In the lead-out area, the track number is“AA”. In the next eight bits of Q17 to Q24, the index is recorded. Theindex is the information for further sub-dividing the respective tracks.

The eight bits each of Q25 to Q32, Q33 to Q40 and Q41 to Q48 denote MIN(minutes), SEC (seconds) and FRAME (frames), as the elapsed time in onetrack (relative address).

Q49 to Q56 are set to “00000000”.

The eight bits each of Q57 to Q64, Q65 to Q72 and Q73 to Q80, which aretermed AMIN, ASEC and AFRAME, respectively, become minutes (AMIN),seconds (ASEC) and frames (AFRAME), as absolute addresses, respectively.The absolute addresses become addresses continuously allocated from theleading end of the first track (that is the leading end of the programarea) to the lead-out area.

The above is the sub-codes and the TOC basically formed by thesesub-codes. The sub-codes may further include the variegated information.For example, in a CD text, R to W of the sub-code data of P, Q, R, S, T,U, V and W are used for storage of the text information.

6. File Structure Recorded in a HDD

The various files recorded in the HDD 32 are hereinafter explained byreferring to FIG. 9.

The data, such as music data, input as the digital audio data S1, S2, tothe HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3, as described above, andrecorded in the HDD 32, are recorded as one music data file MDF, on thetrack basis, that is on the music air basis. In FIG. 9, there are shownplural music data files MDF1, MDF2, . . . , each representing one musicair.

There is provided a music air play order management file PFM forindividual music data files MDF, arranged as one data set, that is as asole album. FIG. 9 shows plural music air play order management filesPFM PFM1, PFM2, . . . each of which supervises a sole album. These playorder management files PFM are supervised in their entirety as an albummanagement file. While the configurations of the album management filesand the respective play order management files PFM may be broadlyvariable, the respective play order management files PFM PFM1, PFM2, . .. may be formed as blocks in one album management file, as shown forexample in FIG. 12A, or a pointer for each play order management filePFM, that is a recording position or a filename on the HDD 32, may bemanaged by the album management file, with each of the play ordermanagement files PFM PFM 1, PFM2, . . . then being indicated by theassociated pointer, as shown in FIG. 12B.

For example, if, in FIG. 9, the music data files MDF1 to MDF4 are tracksrecorded by dubbing from a sole CD album, containing four music airs,the play order management file PFM1 is designed to manage these musicdata files MDF1 to MDF4 as tracks TK1 to TK4, making up a sole album,respectively. Meanwhile, this management as an album is preformed notonly when the CD album in its entirety is recorded by dubbing, but alsowhen the plural music airs arbitrarily selected by the user and recordedon the HDD 32 are specified by the play order management file PFM formanagement as an album. That is, a user is able to construct an optionalarbitrary number of music data files MDF in an arbitrary play order asan album. It is also possible for plural play order management files PFMto supervise a sole music data file in redundancy. That is, a givenmusic air may be supervised in each of plural albums as being a solemusic air constituting an album.

In the HDD 32, the database is constructed in the manner as describedabove. This database supervises e.g., the supplementary information forthe music data file MDF with a database file DBF as a sole unit. Thesole database file DBF is formed in association with a sole CD album.Each music data file MDF has a pointer specifying the database file DBFassociated therewith. For example, if the music data files MDF 1 to MDF4are tracks recorded by dubbing from a sole CD album containing fourmusic airs, a database file DBF1, associated with the CD album as thesource of recording by dubbing, is formed in the database. The musicdata files MDF1 to MDF4 are associated with the database file DBF1, asshown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 10 shows the structure of the music data file MDF.

The sole music data file MDF, bearing a filename “MDF***”, is roughlymade up by a header portion and a music data portion. In the headerportion, there are recorded various attributes, file size (number ofsound units) and other necessary management data of the music data fileMDF. There are also recorded the database file number or the databasefile name, as pointers pointing to the sole database file DBF in thedatabase associated with the music data file MDF, as described above.There are further recorded track numbers (TNO) indicating as whichnumber track music air a music data file MDF in question is beingsupervised in the associated database file DBF. Since the data base fileis formed on the basis of the TOC of the CD, the track numbercorresponds to the track number originally recorded in the CD album, butis not necessarily coincident with the track number supervised in themusic air order play order management file, which will be explainedsubsequently.

In the music data portion, actual audio data is recorded. The audio dataitself is a set of units termed sound units SU, with each sound unitbeing approximately 23 msec long. The audio data of one music air isformed by sound units (SU001) to (SU(n)).

FIGS. 11A and 11B show an exemplary structure of a music air play ordermanagement file PFM .

As shown in FIG. 11A, the music air play order management file PFM towhich is accorded a filename “PMF***”, is made up roughly by a headerportion and a music air order management portion. In the header portion,there are recorded an album number and other various management data.

The music air order management portion supervises the plural music datafiles MDF, managed as album by the music air play order management filePFM, as tracks TK#1 to TK#m of a preset sequence, that is as a music airplay order. Specifically, the filenames of the plural music data filesMDF, making up an album, are expressed as the tracks TK#1 to TK#m, asshown. For example, if the music air play order management file PFM 1supervises these music data files MDF MDF1, MDF2, MDF3 and MDF4 as thetracks TK1, TK2, TK3 and TK4, making up a sole album, as shown in FIG.9, the filenames of the music data files MDF MDF1, MDF2, MDF3 and MDF4are sequentially recorded in the music air order management portion.

FIG. 11B shows a modification of the music air play order managementfile PFM in which a pointer of the database file DBF is recorded in theheader portion in addition to the information of FIG. 11A. As alreadyexplained with reference to FIG. 9, the music air play order managementfile PFM supervises each music data file MDF, forming an album, whileeach music data file MDF points to an associated database file DBF.Although the explanation of the present embodiment is premised on thisstructure, it is also possible for the music data file MDF it supervisesto point to the associated database file DBF, as will be indicated in amodification X shown in FIG. 9. In such case, the associated databasefile numbers or database filenames are recorded, as shown in FIG. 11B.

Meanwhile, one database file and one music air play order file PFM arenot necessarily in a one-to-one correspondence to each other. That is,one database file DBF is associated with one CD album, as a source ofdubbing, and supervises the supplementary information etc of the CDalbum in its entirety or of recorded music airs thereof Responsive todubbing from a CD, one database file DBF is formed for this CD. Forexample, if only one music air has been recorded by dubbing from acertain CD to the HDD 32, the database file DBF, formed in associationwith the so recorded music data file MDF, is formed in a configurationassociated with the entire CD as the source of recording by dubbing.This will be explained subsequently with reference to FIG. 13.

On the other hand, the music air play order management file PFMsupervises one or more music data files MDF, as music airs recorded onthe HDD 32, as a sole album. Thus, if the entire music airs are recordedby dubbing from the CD album, and the music data files MDF for theentire music airs are to be supervised as a sole album in the music airplay order management file PFM, the entire music airs supervised by themusic air play order management file PFM, that is the music data fileMDF, are associated with the common database file DBF, so that onedatabase file DBF is referenced from the music air play order managementfile PFM. However, if the user selects and records music airs from alarge number of CDs by dubbing and has the so recorded music airssupervised in the music air play order management file PFM as an album,the respective music airs supervised by the music air play ordermanagement file PFM are associated with respective different databasefiles DBF, so that plural database files DBF are referenced from themusic air play order management file PFM In such case, the database filenumbers of the filenames of FIG. 11B are indicated on the track basis.

7. Database

The database is constructed by a set of the individual database filesDBF, as shown in FIG. 9. In the database file DBF, there are recordedthe CD identification information, CD album and the supplementaryinformation pertinent to a program (track) recorded therein.

FIG. 13 shows the contents of one database file DBF.

As described above, one database file DBF is formed in association withone CD. The contents in the database file DBF, generated with a givendatabase filename “DBF***”, accorded thereto, are as follows:

Database File Number

Thus database file number is a number accorded to each database file ina given database.

Album Name Slot (1)

It is an area in which to insert an album name of a one-byte letter orcharacter.

Album Name Slot (2)

It is an area in which to insert an album name of a two-byte letter orcharacter.

Artist Name Slot (1)

It is an area in which to insert an artist name of a one-byte letter orcharacter.

Artist Name Slot (2)

It is an area in which to insert an artist name of a two-byte letter orcharacter.

Album INFO

It is an area in which to insert the supplementary informationassociated with the entire album and which does not include the albumname nor the artist's name. For example, the information such as theinformation pertinent to the album producer, producing company and thegenre can be stored in this area. In addition, picture data, such as thealbum jacket picture, artist's picture or the image picture, may also bestored.

Recording Date and Time

It is an area in which to insert the information of the year, month,day, hour, minute and second of recording by dubbing on the HDD 32.

The information from the album name to the recording date and time asdescribed above is the information supervised as the supplementaryinformation associated with a certain CD album in its entirety.

Next, there is provided an area of the information obtained as TOC dataof the CD.

Total Number of Tracks in an Album

This is an area indicating the number of tracks, recorded in the CD, asindicated in the TOC data explained in FIGS. 7 and 8. Specifically, itis sufficient that the value of the last track number of the disc shownin FIG. 8 can be entered.

Start Point of Track TK#1 . . . Start Point of Track TK#m

It indicates the start point of each track of the CD (address value withabsolute time). For example, if the TOC data is as shown in FIG. 8, thevalue of the start point shown for each of the tracks #1 to #6 isdirectly recorded in this area of the data base file.

Start Point of Lead-out

It indicates the start point of lead-out of the CD (address value withthe absolute time). For example, if the TOC data is as shown in FIG. 8,the value of the start point of the lead-out shown is directly recordedin this area of the database file.

The information from the total number of tracks to the lead-out startpoint as described above is the information which has substantiallydirectly recorded the contents of the TOC data of the CD.

In the TOC data, in which the number of tracks contained in a CD, theabsolute time of start of a track (start point) and the lead-out startpoint are written in the form of minutes, seconds and frames, there isscarcely any possibility that all of these values become equal indifferent CDs. Consequently, these TOC data may prove the identificationinformation of a CD of a particular title. In the present embodiment,this point is utilized to make the database file DBF the identificationinformation of the associated CD.

The above-described external server, which extends services on theInternet, identifies a CD by the identification information employingthe TOC information of the CD to furnish the supplementary informationconcerning the CD. Thus, in the present embodiment, as later explained,the identification information formed from the TOC data is transmittedwhen the supplementary information is requested to the external server.

Next to this identification information, there is formed an area forrecording the supplementary information associated with each trackrecorded on the CD.

Name Slot (1) of Track TK#1 to Name Slot (1) of TK#m

This is an area in which to insert a name of a track for one-byteletter/character for each of the track TK#1 to the track TK#m.

Name Slot (2) of Track TK#1 to Name Slot (2) of TK#m

This is an area in which to insert a name of a track for two-byteletter/character for each of the track TK#1 to the track TK#m.

Recording Date and Time of Track TK#1 to Recording Date and Time ofTrack TK#m

This is an area in which to insert the date and time of recording on theHDD 23 for each of the track TK#1 to the track TK#m.

ISRC of Track TK#1 to ISRC of Track TK#m

This is an area in which to insert ISRC data for each of track TK#1 totrack TK#m.

INFO of Track TK#1 to INFO of Track TK#m

This is an area in which to insert the supplementary information otherthan the above-mentioned information for each of track TK#1 to trackTK#m. For example, the information such as the genre, composer,conductor or the lyric of a music air or the picture data can be storedin this area.

Such database file DBF is generated responsive to the dubbing of themusic data from the CD, or the information of the portion which provesthe aforementioned identification information is recorded from the TOCdata of the CD at such time point. However, in a majority of cases, notall information in the database file DBF is not recorded at a time pointof recording by dubbing of the music data as the music data file MDF onthe HDD 32. For example, with the HD controller 31, none of the albumname, name of the music air, ISRC or the INFO is obtained at the time ofdubbing from the CD, so that these are left as void (invalid data).

When the supplementary information, such as the name of the music air,is not supervised by the data base file DBF, the user is unable torecognize the music data file MDF, recorded on the HDD 32, with e.g.,the name of the music number. In the present embodiment, suchsupplementary information is automatically captured from an externalserver for registration on the database file DBF, as will be explainedsubsequently. Meanwhile, if the disc 90 reproduced is the CD text, andif there is e.g., the name of the music air in the text data read outfrom the sub-code, the name of the music air can be registered in thedatabase file at the time of dubbing in association with the track ordisc. If the user optionally has entered e.g., the name of the musicair, it can, of course, be registered as the supplementary information.In the present embodiment, however, such user input is made redundant byautomatic registration processing.

8. Dubbing Operation

The dubbing operation, performed in the dubbing device 100 under controlby the system controller 1, CD controller 21 and by the HD controller31, is explained with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15.

The system controller 1 at step F101 monitors whether or not the userperforms an operation of acting on the operating unit 5 to issue acommand for recording from the CD to the HDD 32. If the dubbingoperation is made, the information as to the user operation is sent atstep F102 to the CD reproducing unit 2 (CD controller 21). At the sametime, the system controller 1 issues a command to transfer the TOCinformation of the disc 90, currently loaded on the CD reproducing unit2, to the HD controller 31.

The operating information is the information as to which sort of dubbinghas been commanded by the user, that is the information indicatingwhether the totality of music airs of a CD are to be recorded bydubbing, or one or more tracks is specified and only the track(s) sospecified are to be recorded by dubbing.

When the notification of the information on the dubbing information andthe command for TOC transfer are obtained from the system controller 1,the CD controller 21 at step F201 transfers the TOC data, alreadyread-in for the currently loaded disc 90, to the HD controller 31, inaccordance with the command issued by the system controller 1.

On receipt of the TOC data from the CD controller 21, the HD controller31 at step F301 retrieves the database stored in the HDD 32. That is,the HD controller 31 generates the identification information, explainedwith reference to FIG. 13, from the contents of the input TOC data.Using the so generated identification information, the HD controllerretrieves whether or not there is any of the database files DBF in thedatabase having the same identification information recorded therein.The database file DBF having the same identification information isfound when the recording by dubbing from the disc 90 currently loaded inthe CD reproducing unit 2 was also made in the past and the databasefile DBF has already been produced for the disc 90. On the other hand,it is when the dubbing from the disc 90 currently loaded in the CDreproducing unit 2 is now made for the first time 90 that the databasefile DBF having the same identification information is not found.

If the result of retrieval indicates that no pertinent database file DBFhas been found, the HD controller 31 proceeds from step F302 to stepF303 where the database file DBF having the so prepared identificationinformation accorded thereto is newly prepared and added to thedatabase. The HD controller 31 then proceeds to step F304. If converselythe pertinent database file DBF has been found as the results of theretrieval, the HD controller 31 proceeds from step F302 to step F304. Atthis step F304, the fact that the database file DBF pertinent to thepresent dubbing is newly prepared or retrieved such that the preparationhas been made on the database is notified to the system controller 1.

If, as the result of the retrieval, the pertinent database file has beenfound, it is probable that the totality of tracks newly recorded on thedisc 90 have already been recorded as the music data file MDF on the HDD32. Moreover, if the user has specified only certain tracks of the disc90 for dubbing, it is probable that the tracks have already beenrecorded as the music data file MDF. In these cases, the dubbingoperation, about to be preformed, is unnecessary. Thus, although notshown in FIG. 14, a notification to the effect that 110 dubbing isnecessary may be sent from the HD controller 31 to the system controller1, in order to avoid redundant dubbing, the system controller 1 thendisplaying a message for the user on the display unit 6, in order tore-confirm the user's intention. Since the recording date and time onthe HDD 32 of the track recorded on the CD has been recorded on thedatabase file DBF, as described above, such that it can be grasped whichtrack number music air of the CD (disc 90) has already been recorded asthe music data file MDF on the HDD 32, the HD controller 31 may give adecision on whether or not the above dubbing is unnecessary by the HDcontroller 31 receiving the track number pertinent to the presentdubbing from the system controller 1 or from the CD controller 21. Ofcourse, the information indicating the recording or non-recording ofeach track on the HDD 32 may be recorded on the database file DBF.

On receipt of a database accommodation end notice from the HD controller31, the system controller 1 at step F103 issues a command for makingpreparations for dubbing. That is, the CD controller 21 is commanded tomake preparations for the dubbing as specified by the user, while the HDcontroller 31 is commanded to make preparations for recording. The CDcontroller 21 at step F202 is responsive to the command from the systemcontroller 1 to make preparations for reproducing the disc 90. That is,by way of preparations for reproduction responsive to the user'sactuation, preparations are made for reproducing the disc 90 in itsentirety (that is the continuous reproduction from the first music airto the last music air) or the track(s) specified by the user. At a timepoint the preparations for reproduction are completed, a preparation endnotice is sent at step F203 to the system controller 1.

The HD controller 31 at step F305 is responsive to the command from thesystem controller 1 to make preparations for reproduction of the disc90. Specifically, the HD controller makes preparations for recording thedigital audio data S1, reproduced by and supplied from the CDreproducing unit 2, on the HDD 32. At this time, the associated databasefile DBF is opened and the database filename for supervising the musicair information of the disc 90, recorded by dubbing, is stored. Ofcourse, this gives the database file DBF retrieved at step F301 or thedatabase file DBF newly prepared at step F303. At a time point thepreparations have been made for recording, the HD controller at stepF306 sends a preparation end notice to the system controller 1.

The processing preformed by the respective portions then proceeds to theprocessing shown in FIG. 15.

On detection that the preparations at the CD reproducing unit 2 and theHD recording and/or reproducing unit 3 have been finished, the systemcontroller 1 at step F104 commands the CD controller 21 to initiate thereproduction, while commanding the HD controller 31 to start therecording. The CD reproducing unit 2 is responsive thereto at step F204to reproduce the disc 90 to send the reproduced digital audio data S1 tothe recording and/or reproducing unit 3. The CD controller 21 executesthe reproducing processing of step F204 until it is detected at stepF205 that the reproduction of the disc 90 has been finished, that isthat the reproduction of the totality of tracks has come to a close orthe reproduction of one or more tracks specified by the user has come toa close.

The HD controller 31 is responsive to the command for starting therecording from the system controller 1 to execute at step F307 therecording processing for the HDD 32. That is, the HD controller performspreset processing on the digital audio data S1 supplied from the CDreproducing unit 2 to record the data as the music data file MDF on thesound unit basis.

The recording processing at this step F307 is shown in detail in FIG.16.

At a time point of start of the recording processing, the HD controller31 at step F351 newly sets a music data file MDF. At step F352, the HDcontroller proceeds to perform preset processing, such as datacompression, on the digital audio data S1, supplied thereto from the CDreproducing unit 2, to write the data in the music data file MDF fromone sound unit SU to another, by way of performing the recordingprocessing. During the time data is being written in the sole music datafile MDF, the HD controller 31 is monitoring the track change or thecommand for recording end at step F353. On track change, that is when anair (track) reproduced by the CD reproducing unit 2 is changed from oneair to the next, or when a command for end of the recording is issuedfrom the system controller 1, the HD controller proceeds to step F354.

The variegated track change detection systems may roughly be classifiedinto a system in which track change is monitored on the part of the HDcontroller 31 and a system in which the CD controller 21 notifies atrack change to the HD controller 31. For example, if the digital audiodata S1 supplied to the HD recording and/or reproducing unit 3 is thedigital data consistent with the IEC 60958 format, the HD controller 31is able to detect the track change timing for the digital audio data S1,provided that the U bit track number continued in the digital data ismonitored. Of course, the CD controller 21 is able to grasp the trackchange from the sub-code obtained during the reproduction of the disc90. Consequently, the HD controller 31 is able to grasp the track changetinning of the input digital audio data S1 by sending a track changenotice to the HD controller 31 in timed relation to the transmissiontiming of the digital audio data S1.

If a track change has been detected, the recording of the music dataportion of the music data file MDF, in which the sound units SU (seeFIG. 10) have so far been written, comes to a close at a time point therecording has been made for the digital audio data S1 for the trackchange point. Thus, the HD controller 31 at step F354 writes theinformation of the header portion for the music data file MDF toterminate the recording of the music data file MDF. Specifically, thevarious management data explained with reference to FIG. 10 are writtenas the header portion, while the database file number, database filenameand the track number on the database file, are written as pointersindicating the associated database file DBF. The database file numberand the database filename respectively give the number and the filenameindicating the database file DBF opened at step F305, while the tracknumber gives the track number of the track on the disc 90.

Then, processing reverts from step F355 to step F351 to set a new musicdata file MDF for the next track and, at step F352, the digital audiodata S1 is written in the music data file MDF, from one sound unit SU toanother, by way of performing the processing of recording. By thisprocessing, the music data file MDF is formed on the HDD 32 from onetrack of the disc 90 to another.

At a time point of completion of reproduction of the disc 90, the CDcontroller 21 sends the CD reproduction end notice to the systemcontroller 1. This notice may also be sent to the HD controller 31. Ondetection of the CD reproduction end notice from the CD controller 21,the system controller 1 at step F105 commands a recording end to the HDcontroller 31. This HD controller 31 detects the command for recordingend, in the processing of step F353 of FIG. 16, in which case the HDcontroller performs the same processing as that described above at stepF354 to complete the music data file MDF for the last track, which wasbeing recorded, after which the HD controller proceeds from step F355 tothe recording end processing of step F308 of FIG. 15.

Examples of the recording end processing of step F308 include thesetting of management states responsive to generation of one or moremusic data files MDF, such as essential processing, e.g., FAT updatingor directory setting, or generation of a music air play order managementfile PFM used for supervising one or more incumbent music data files MDFas a sole album. In addition, the recordable information is written inthe database file DBF. If the text 90 is e.g. a CD text, and thesupplementary information, such as music air name information, has beenacquired, data such as the album name or the music air name informationmay be written in the database file DBF. After the end of theabove-described recording end processing, the sequence of processingoperations in dubbing comes to a close.

In the foregoing, the dubbing operation has been explained as theprocessing in case the user has preformed the operation of dubbing partor all of the tracks from the disc 90 as a sole disc. In actuality,there are occasions where the user selects his or her favorite musicairs form plural CD to perform dubbing sequentially. In such case, theprocessing of FIGS. 14 and 15 is repeated from one CD to another.

9. Operation of Acquiring the Supplementary Information

By the above-described dubbing operation, the music data file MDF isformed on the HDD 32 on the track basis, whereas, in the database, thereare present database files DBF associated with the respective music datafiles MDF. Moreover, the music data files MDF are supervised as an albumby the music air play order management file PFM. That is, the filestructure explained in FIG. 9 is constructed. However, in the databasefile DBF, there is no supplementary information, such as the name of themusic airs, recorded in the database file DBF.

In the present embodiment, the supplementary information isautomatically registered in the database file DBF where no supplementaryinformation has been recorded, by the processing now to be explained.

The operation of automatic supplementary information acquisition iscarried out under the coordinated operations of the dubbing device 100and the personal computer 101. This processing is explained withreference to FIGS. 17 to 19. In these figures, the processing of anapplication operating on the personal computer 101 and the processing onthe part of the dubbing device, in particular the processing performedby the system controller 1 and the HD controller 31, is shown.

The application booted on the personal computer 101, referred to belowas the PC application, has a function of presenting to the user theinformation pertinent to the music data file MDF recorded on the HDD 32,the function of coping with the GUI operations, the function ofcommunication over a network, and the function of controlling the systemcontroller 1. In the following description, the term “display” means amonitor display in the personal computer 101. As a modification, thedisplay 6 of the dubbing device 100, for example, may be used. Althoughthe user operation is carried out using a keyboard or a mouse on thepart of the personal computer 101, the operating unit 5 may also beused, again as a modification.

The user may use the personal computer 101 to make a request fordisplaying the album information recorded on the HDD 32 as theinformation of a music data file MDF recorded on the HDD 32. Ondetecting an album information display request from the user at a stepF401 shown in FIG. 17, the PC application at step F402 requests thealbum information from the dubbing device 100. For example, the PCapplication takes in a filename of the music air play order managementfile PFM present in the HDD 32 from the dubbing device 100, such as atbooting, in order to grasp at least the number of the “albums” presentin the HDD 32. The album name etc associated with each music air play:order management file PFM is demonstrated on the display. Responsive tothis demonstration, the user selects an optional album to make a requestfor more detailed information for the album. Thus, at step F402, theuser requests the information pertinent to the album the user hasselected (music air play order management file PFM).

The dubbing device 100 at step F501 confirms the contents of the musicair play order management file PFM pertinent to the request from the PCapplication, and grasps each music data file MDF supervised by the musicair play order management file PFM. Then, at step F502, the databasefile DBF associated with each music data file MDF is confirmed from thepointer of the database file recorded in each music data file MDF.Meanwhile, if, in this case, each music data file MDF managed by themusic air play order management file PFM has been recorded by dubbingfrom the sole CD, the sole database file DBF is confirmed as thedatabase file DBF associated with the music data files MDF. If eachmusic data file MDF managed by the music air play order management filePFM has been selectively recorded by dubbing from two or more CDs toform a sole album, two or more database files DBF are confirmed as thedatabase file DBF associated with the music data files MDF.

At this time point when the associated database files DBF have beendetected, the contents of the one or more database files DBF areconfirmed to check whether or not the supplementary information, such asthe name of the music airs, has been registered.

If the supplementary information, such as the name of the music airs,has not been registered for the totality of the music data files MDF ofthe music air play order management file PFM, that is the album,currently of interest, processing transfers from step F503 to step F504to send the contents of the music air play order management file PFM asthe album information to the PC application. In this case, theinformation such as the filename of the music data file MDF, supervisedby the music air play order management file PFM, is transmitted to thepersonal computer 100. On the other hand, if the supplementaryinformation, such as the name of the music airs, has been registered fora fraction or the totality of the music data files MDF of the music airplay order management file PFM, that is the album, currently ofinterest, processing transfers from step F503 to step F505 to send thecontents of the music air play order management file PFM and thecontents of the supplementary information registered in the associateddatabase file DBF as the album information to the PC application. Thus,in this case, the information such as the filename of the music datafile MDF, supervised by the music air play order management file PFM, istransmitted to the personal computer 100, whereas, as concerns the musicdata file MDF, the supplementary information of which has beenregistered, the supplementary information, such as the name of the musicair, is also sent.

If the album information has been sent by the processing of step F504 orF505 by the dubbing device 100, the PC application at step F403demonstrates the contents of the album information thus sent on thedisplay. For example, the filenames of the music data file MDF, as themusic airs contained in the album, the information of which has beenrequested by the user, are displayed as a list. In particular, if thesupplementary information has been sent at step F505, the names of themusic airs etc may be demonstrated in place of or along with thefilenames. Of course, other items of the supplementary information canalso be displayed.

As a matter of course, if the names of the music airs are displayed, theuser is able to comprehend the music air contained in the album. Forexample, the user is able to select and reproduce the album or a desiredmusic air(s) in the album, or to specify another album to request thealbum information. Such selection or reproduction is possible in theabsence of the name of the music air displayed. However, if an extremelylarge number of the music data files MDF have been recorded in the HDD32, it is difficult for the user to identify which music data file MDFdenotes which music air. On the other hand, the album-basedsupplementary information is convenient for the user if such informationis displayed, while such information is inconvenient for the user if itis not displayed. In this consideration, the PC application is designedto be able to request the processing of automatically registering suchinformation for the album or the music data file MDF to which no albumname nor the name of the music air has been accorded. In such case, theuser able to selectively specify the processing of acquiring thesupplementary information such as the album name or the name(s) of themusic air(s) contained in the album on the album basis, or theprocessing of specifying a certain track in the album, or automaticallyselecting only the track for which no supplementary information has beenregistered, in order to acquire the supplementary information, such asthe name of the music air for the track.

If the user has specified the album-based automatic acquisition of thesupplementary information, the processing of the PC application proceedsfrom step F404 to step F405 and notifies the effect of performing thealbum-based automatic acquisition of the supplementary information tothe dubbing device 100. The processing of the PC application thenproceeds to the processing of FIG. 18. If the user has specified thetrack-based automatic acquisition of the supplementary information, theprocessing of the PC application proceeds from step F406 to step F407and notifies the effect of performing the track-based automaticacquisition of the supplementary information to the dubbing device 100.The processing of the PC application then proceeds to the processing ofFIG. 19. The dubbing device 100 is also responsive to the notice of thePC application at step F405 or F407 to proceed to the processing of FIG.18 or to that of FIG. 19 in the case of the album-based automaticacquisition of the supplementary information or in the case of thetrack-based automatic acquisition of the supplementary information,respectively.

Meanwhile, if the user has made another processing by GUI operations inresponse to the demonstration on the display, the PC applicationproceeds from step F408 to another processing, that is processing whichis in keeping with the processing preformed. For example, if the userhas commanded replay of an album or a track or addition or deletion ofthe music data file MDF contained in an album or change of the music airplay sequence, by way of an album editing processing, or has performedan operation of extracting the music data file MDF recorded on the HDD32 to form a new album, that is a music air play order management filePFM, processing which is in keeping with the processing preformed isperformed. This is not explained in detail since it does not directlyhave to do with the processing of automatically acquiring thesupplementary information.

Referring to FIG. 18, the processing of the PC application and thedubbing device 100 in case the user has requested the album-basedauthentication acquisition of the supplementary information is nowexplained. In this case, the PC application first at step F409 requestsa database filename, currently processed, to the dubbing device 100. Thedubbing device 100 is responsive thereto to send at step F507 thedatabase filename or the database file number recorded in each musicdata file MDF supervised in the current album (music air play ordermanagement file PFM) to the PC application.

On receipt of the database filename, associated with each music datafile MDF, the PC application at step F410 checks whether or not theentire database filenames or database file numbers as transmittedcoincide with one another. If the entire database filenames are notcoincident, it indicates that the current album (music air play ordermanagement file PFM) is not supervising the music data files MDFrecorded by dubbing from a sole CD. That is, the music air play ordermanagement file PFM is not supervising the album associated with a givensole CD. In such case, processing transfers to step F413 to abort thealbum-based automatic acquisition of the supplementary information,while demonstrating a message indicating that effect on the display, byway of intimation to the user, to terminate the processing.

If the entire database filenames are coincident at step F410, the PCapplication at step F411 requests the contents of the data of thedatabase file DBF itself to the dubbing device 100. The dubbing device100 is responsive thereto to send at step F508 the contents of the sorequested database file DBF to the PC application. Although the contentsof the database file DBF, sent to the PC application, may be the entiredata, it may be sufficient to transmit at least the aforementionedidentification information generated on the basis of the TOC data.

The PC application is able to grasp the number of tracks of the originalCD album from the contents of the database file DBF. It is because theidentification information contains the information pertinent to thetotal number of tracks in the album, as explained with reference to FIG.13. The original number of the tracks of the CD is now compared to thenumber of tracks supervised by the current music air play ordermanagement file PFM (the number of music data files DFM) to checkwhether or not the two numbers of tracks coincide with each other. Ifthe numbers of tracks coincide with each other, it may be that theentire tracks of a CD have been recorded by dubbing to the HDD 32 andthe music air play order management file PFM is supervising therespective music data files MDF on the HDD 32 as a set of music airs ofthe same contents as the entire tracks recorded on the original CD. Itshould be noted that the order of the music airs may not be coincidentdepending on user's editing operations.

If conversely the numbers of tracks are not coincident with each other,it indicates that the music airs supervised by the music air play ordermanagement file PFM (music data file MDF) are music airs recorded in thesame CD but are not the entire music airs recorded in the CD. In suchcase, it is determined that the original CD and the current album on theHDD 32 (music air play order management file PFM) are not entirelycoincident with each other as to the music airs contained therein. Thus,the PC application proceeds to step F413 to abort the processing ofalbum-based automatic acquisition of the supplementary information,while demonstrating a message indicating such effect on the display, byway of information for the user, to terminate the processing.

That is, in the illustrative processing shown in FIG. 18, the processingof album-based automatic acquisition of the supplementary information iscarried out in case the music airs contained in the original CD and themusic airs contained in the current album on the HDD 23 (music air playorder management file PFM) are completely coincident with each other.For this reason, the processing of automatic acquisition of thesupplementary information is initiated when the numbers of tracks arecoincident at step F412. First, the PC application at step F414 causesthe network connection at step F414 for establishing connection to apreset external server extending supplementary information supplyingservices. At step F415, the PC application sends the TOC data recordedon the database file DBF, that is the aforementioned identificationinformation, and requests the supplementary information, such as albumname or the name of the music air, pertinent to the CD indicated in theidentification information. The external server discriminates aspecified CD album, as a key for discriminating the TOC data, from alarge number of commercially available CD albums, and sends thesupplementary information for the specified CD album. On receipt of thesupplementary information from the external server, the PC applicationdemonstrates the so received information at step F416 on the display.For example, the actual album names or the names of the music air aredisplayed in place of or in addition to the album names or the names ofthe music air indicated as filenames on the HDD 32.

The user is informed in this manner of the contents of a given albumstored in the HDD 32. In actuality, the user registers the names etc inthe database file DBF and subsequently operates for commanding whetheror not the names etc are 10 be indicated by the registered names.Specifically, the PC application at step F417 causes a message to bedemonstrated on the display for inquiring whether or not thesupplementary information such as the names being demonstrated may beregistered. The user replies to this inquiry. If the user decides thatthe registration is unnecessary, the processing is straightlyterminated. If the user requests the registration, the PC applicationproceeds to step F418 to send a request for updating the database fileDBF to the dubbing device 100. The dubbing device 100 is responsivethereto to make preparations for updating the database file DBF at stepF509 to return a notification of the completion of the preparations at atime point of the end of the preparations. The PC application at stepF419 sends the contents of the database file DBF, that is thesupplementary information received from the external server, to thedubbing device 100. The dubbing device 100 at step F510 writes thesupplementary information, sent thereto, in the database file DBF, byway of performing an update operation. On completion of the updating,the PC application at step F511 sends a notification of the end of theupdating to the PC application to terminate the processing.

By the above-described processing, the supplementary information isautomatically acquired from the external server on the album basis, andthe supplementary information acquired in the relevant database file DBFis registered by way of the updating processing. For example, even ifonly the database file number, the identification information by the TOCdata and the recording date and time, among the information shown inFIG. 13, have been recorded in the database file DBF at the time pointprior to the above processing, the supplementary information isregistered in each name slot, ISRC and INFO shown in FIG. 13, by theabove processing.

The processing of the PC application and the dubbing device 100, in casethe user has requested the track-based automatic acquisition of thesupplementary information at step F406 in FIG. 17, is as shown in FIG.19. In this case, the PC application first requests, at step F429, adatabase filename associated with one or more target tracks to thedubbing device 100. The track(s) in question means the track(s)specified by the user. Alternatively, the PC application mayautomatically specify a track, where the name of the music air cannot bedemonstrated on the display, as the target track. Responsive to therequest by the PC application, the dubbing device 100 at step F512 sendsthe database filename or the database file number recorded in the targettrack (music data file MDF) and the track number on the database file tothe PC application.

On receipt of a reply form the dubbing device 100, the PC application atstep F421 checks whether or not there is no database filename associatedwith the target track (music data file MDF). There are present nodatabase filename associated with the totality of the target tracks ifnone of the target tracks (music data files MDF) has been recorded bydubbing from a CD by the processing of FIGS. 14 to 16 as described aboveand if there has been formed no associated database file having theidentification information, as when the target tracks have been recordedby dubbing from the external equipment having no TOC data transmittingfunction. If there is present no database file DBF, no supplementaryinformation can be registered, and hence the processing is aborted atstep F422, while a message indicating the effect of the abortion isdemonstrated on the display for intimating such effect to the user toterminate the processing.

If at least one database filename is returned, the PC application atstep F423 requests the contents of the so returned one or more databasefiles DBF to the dubbing device 100. Responsive thereto, the dubbingdevice 100 at step F513 sends the contents of the requested databasefile DBF to the PC application. The contents of the database file DBFreturned to the PC application may be the entire data. However, theportion of the entire data corresponding to the aforementionedidentification information, generated on the basis of the TOC data, mayalso suffice. From the contents of the database file DBF, the PCapplication is able to grasp the identification information of the CDalbum of the source of dubbing for each target track. Of course, sincethe track number on the database file DBF, recorded in the music datafile MDF, has been acquired with the transmission at step F512, thetrack number of the target track in the CD album of the dubbing sourcehas been grasped.

Meanwhile, if it is determined that the database files DBF of thetotality of the target tracks of step F421 do exist and the processinghas not been aborted, there are occasions where no database file DBFexists for a fraction of the target tracks. If there is no database fileDBF for a fraction of the target tracks, the PC application proceedsfrom step F124 to step F425 to intimate lo the user on the display thatthe supplementary information cannot be acquired for a fraction of thetracks. The track(s) where there is no database file DBF are omittedfrom the subject of the automatic acquisition processing.

If the contents, specifically the identification information, of thedatabase file DBF of the target track, have been obtained, the PCapplication initiates the actual automatic supplementary informationacquisition processing.

That is, the PC application at step F426 the PC application at step F414sets up the network connection at step F426 for establishing connectionto a preset external server extending supplementary informationsupplying services. At step F427, the PC application sends the TOC datarecorded on the database file DBF, that is the aforementionedidentification information, and the track number of the target track,and requests the supplementary information, such as the name of themusic air, pertinent to the CD indicated in the identificationinformation. The external server discriminates a specified CD album,using the TOC data as a key. The external server also extracts, from thetransmitted track number, the supplementary information of the trackrequired by the personal computer 100, to send the so extractedsupplementary information.

If there are plural target tracks, the PC application sends theidentification information and the track number, for each of the tracks,while the external server sends the supplementary information to eachsuch transmission.

On receipt of the supplementary information from the external server,the supplementary information is demonstrated at step F428 on thedisplay. For example, actual names of the music airs are demonstratedfor tracks so far demonstrated as the filenames on the HDD 32. The usermay be clearly informed in this manner of what music air a given trackof a given album stored in the HDD 32 represents. In actualregistration, the user's intention is confirmed. That is, the PVCapplication at step F429 demonstrates on the display a message inquiringwhether or hot the currently acquired supplementary information, such asthe name, demonstrated on the display, can be registered in associationwith the track. The user then makes a response thereto. If the user hasmade a decision that the registration is unnecessary, the processing isstraightly terminated. If the user has requested the registration, thePC application proceeds to step F430 to send a request for updating thedatabase file DBF to the dubbing device 100. Responsive thereto, thedubbing device 100 at step F514 prepares for updating the database fileDBF. When the preparations have come to a close, the dubbing device 100makes a response as to the completion of the preparations.

The PC application at step F431 sends the contents of the database fileDBF, that is the supplementary information received from the externalserver, to the dubbing device 100, which dubbing device 100 thenproceeds at step F515 to write the returned supplementary information inthe database file DBF by way of performing an update operation. Ifplural database files DBF are to be updated, the update operation ofeach database file DBF is updated in similar manner. If the updateoperation has been finished in its entirety, the dubbing device 100sends an update end notification to the PC application to terminate theprocessing.

By the above-described processing, the supplementary information isautomatically acquired from the external server, and the so acquiredsupplementary information is registered in the pertinent database fileDBF, by way of performing update processing. For example, if, at a timepoint prior to such processing, no supplementary information has beenregistered in the database file DBF for a fraction of the music datafiles MDF, supervised by a given music air play order management filePFM, the supplementary information for such music data file MDF (track)is acquired, and registered in the associated database file DBF.

Since the processing of automatic acquisition of the supplementaryinformation is carried out in this manner on the album or track basis,the user does not have to input e.g., the name of the music air forhimself for a music air recorded by dubbing on the HDD 32. Afterautomatic registration, the name of the music air or the album name foreach music data file MDF is displayed (display at step F403 of FIG. 17).Thus, the contents (music airs) recorded in the HDD 32 can be graspedreadily. Of course, if the supplementary information has beenregistered, it may be displayed, whereby the user is withheld frommaking a request unawares for automatic registration a second time, thusavoiding wasteful communication connections.

10. Other Embodiments

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodimentsor illustrative operations, and may comprise variegated modifications.

Although the album-based processing and the track-based processing forautomatically acquiring the supplementary information have beendescribed in the foregoing, one of them may be applied.

In the above-described embodiment, directed to the album-basedprocessing, the processing is carried out when the music airs containedin the album on the HDD 32 by the music air play order management filePFM (music data file MDF) and the music airs recorded in the CD album ofthe dubbing source are completely coincident with each other.Alternatively, the processing of automatic acquisition of thesupplementary information may also be carried out in case ofnon-coincidence of the music airs. For example, the decision of stepsF410 or F412 of FIG. 18 nay be omitted and the processing of album-basedautomatic acquisition of the supplementary information may be preformedon one or more database files DBF.

The structure of the data management apparatus according to the presentinvention is not limited to that shown in FIG. 1. In particular, thedevice portion corresponding to the communication means may be providedin the dubbing device and the personal computer may be dispensed with.Alternatively, the CD reproducing unit and the HD recording and/orreproducing unit may be arranged as respective separate devices.

In the dubbing processing or in the processing of album-based automaticacquisition of the supplementary information, notifications or commandstransmitted between the system controller 1, CD controller 21, HDcontroller 31 or the PC application is merely illustrative, such thatthe entities or contents of the transmission/reception of thenotifications or commands may, of course, be optionally changeddepending on the actual structures.

The databases or the music air play order management files PFM may bestored not in the HDD 32 and a non-volatile memory may be provided inother places.

The identification information discriminating the respective CDs may beany suitable supplementary information or a manufacture lot number inaddition to the information prepared from the TOC data. That is, theinformation by which the external sever may identify a given CDsuffices.

The first recording medium is not limited to a CD and may also be an MD,a memory card or DATA, while the second recording medium is not limitedto the HDD and may also be a solid-state memory or other disc-shapedrecording medium or a tape-shaped recording medium.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, as described above, the datarecorded by dubbing from the first recording medium to the secondrecording medium is supervised by database means, while theidentification information of the first recording medium is supervisedto enable the supplementary information to be obtained throughcommunication means from the external server, and the so producedsupplementary information is automatically registered in the databasemeans to permit the supplementary information such as the names of themusic airs to be acquired even in the absence of a user input. As aconsequence, there may be produced a advantage that, if the user doesnot perform a laborious operation of inputting letters or characters byan operating system, the track names, album names or the informationsubsidiary to the album may be obtained extremely readily. Inparticular, the user feels ease in constructing a music server employingthe HDD.

For example, a large capacity recording medium, such as HDD, is able tostore a number of music airs which is larger beyond comparison than ispossible with the conventional recording medium. Thus, it would be agreat aid in a user searching a desired track from the HDD that a nameof the music air or the album name is automatically accorded to therecorded music air.

By having the identification information generated on the basis of themanagement information recorded on the first recording medium, the firstrecording medium can be discriminated definitely. Since the firstrecording medium can be discriminated definitely on the external server,it is possible to produce correct supplementary information. Of course,the user need not set the identification information.

The program-based data, recorded on the second recording medium, has thepointer information indicating the database file that is associated withthe data. That is, the database management can be achieved on theprogram or track basis. As a consequence, optimum data management can beaccomplished without regard to the units of, for example, the CD albumof the source of dubbing.

For example, if the music air structure on the second recording medium,managed on the album basis in the second recording medium, is collapsedby the user's editing operation, such as track movement or erasure, thestate of correctly supervising the names of the music airs or thesubsidiary information may be maintained by supervising the music airson the track basis.

When the user collects only favorite music airs from a number of CDs onthe second recording medium to form an album, track-based management ofthe music airs assures correct management of the supplementaryinformation, such as the names of the music airs.

By providing a data group management file, supervising one or more data,as program-based unit data, to be reproduced in a preset order, it ispossible to supervise data such as a large number of music airs as asole album on the second recording medium, thus improving the ease inreproduction for the user.

Moreover, if each data of the group of data being supervised has thepointer information indicating one or more associated database files,the data group management file is able to refer to database files evenfrom the data group management file.

The control means causes the communication means to transmit theidentification information of the first recording medium supervised bythe database means to the external server. The supplementary informationfor the entire first recording medium is received from the externalserver, and the so received supplementary information is stored inassociation with the identification information in the database means,thereby producing the supplementary information from one album toanother, as an example.

Moreover, by having the supplementary information for a certain programreceived and by having the so received supplementary information storedin the database means in association with the identificationinformation, it is also possible to obtain the track-based supplementaryinformation.

As may be seen from above, an optimum supplementary informationacquisition operation may be achieved, in dependence upon e.g., the dataor album structure on the second recording medium or upon the presenceof tracks which have already acquired the supplementary information. Forexample, if certain data of the group of data, supervised as a solealbum, has already acquired the supplementary information, it isunnecessary to acquire the supplementary information for such data, sothat the operation of acquiring the supplementary information can beomitted to realize efficient acquisition of the supplementaryinformation. In particular, in an apparatus for domestic use it highlybeneficial for a user that the communication time is shortened by theefficient supplementary information acquisition operation.

1. A data management apparatus comprising: a reproducing unit forreproducing content data stored in a first recording medium; a storageunit, separate and distinct from the first recording medium, for storingcontent data and identification information; a recording unit forrecording content data stored in the first recording medium to thestorage unit; a communication unit for sending identificationinformation associated with the content data from the storage unit to anexternal server and for receiving supplementary information from theexternal server corresponding to the identification information; and acontroller for controlling the recording unit to record the receivedsupplementary information in association with corresponding recordedcontent data; wherein the controller allows the recording unit to recordcontent data stored in the first recording medium to the storage unitwhen content data stored in the first recording medium was not recordedin the storage unit in the past.
 2. The data management apparatusrecited in claim 1, wherein the controller determines that content datastored in the first recording medium was not recorded in the storageunit in the past when the identification information is not found in thestorage unit.
 3. The data management apparatus recited in claim 1,wherein the controller issues a warning when content data stored in thefirst storage medium was recorded in the storage unit in the past. 4.The data management apparatus recited in claim 3, wherein the controllerdetermines that content data stored in the first storage medium wasrecorded in the storage unit in the past when the identificationinformation is found in the storage unit.
 5. The data managementapparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the controller updates the storageunit by storing the identification information when content data storedin a first recording medium is recorded in the storage unit.
 6. The datamanagement apparatus recited in claim 1, further comprising: an encoderconfigured to compress content data reproduced by the reproducing unit;wherein the recording unit records compressed content data to thestorage unit.
 7. The data management apparatus recited in claim 2,wherein the content data is music content and the supplementaryinformation includes one or more of an album name and a name of themusician for a track.
 8. A data management method comprising:determining when content data stored in a first recording medium isstored in a storage unit, wherein the storage unit is separate anddistinct from the first recording medium; copying the content datastored in the first recording medium to the storage unit when it isdetermined that the content data has not been previously stored in thestorage unit; sending identification information associated with thecontent data from the storage unit to an external server; receiving fromthe server supplementary information corresponding to the identificationinformation; and recording, in the storage unit, the receivedsupplementary information in association with the corresponding recordedcontent data.
 9. The data management method of claim 8, wherein thedetermining step further comprises: searching the storage unit foridentification information associated with the content data stored inthe recording medium; determining that the content data stored in therecording medium was not previously stored in the storage unit when theidentification information associated with the content data is not foundin the storage unit; and determining that the content data stored in therecording medium was previously stored in the storage unit when theidentification information associated with the content data is found inthe storage unit.
 10. The data management method of claim 8, furthercomprising issuing a warning when it is determined that the content datahas been previously stored in the storage unit.
 11. The data managementmethod of claim 8, further comprising updating the storage unit bystoring the identification information when content data stored in thefirst recording medium is recorded in the storage unit.
 12. The datamanagement method of claim 8, further comprising compressing the contentdata prior to copying the content data to the storage unit.
 13. The datamanagement method of claim 12, wherein the content data is music contentand the supplementary information includes one or more of an album nameand a name of the musician for a track.
 14. A computer-readable storagemedium for storing a computer program product for performing, whenexecuted by a processor, a data management method comprising:determining when content data stored in a first recording medium isstored in a storage unit, wherein the storage unit is separate anddistinct from the first recording medium; copying the content datastored in the first recording medium to the storage unit when it isdetermined that the content data has not been previously stored in thestorage unit; sending identification information associated with thecontent data from the storage unit to an external server; receiving fromthe server supplementary information corresponding to the identificationinformation; and recording, in the storage unit, the receivedsupplementary information in association with the corresponding recordedcontent data.
 15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14,wherein the determining step further comprises: searching the storageunit for identification information associated with the content datastored in the recording medium; determining that the content data storedin the recording medium was not previously stored in the storage unitwhen the identification information associated with the content data isnot found in the storage unit; and determining that the content datastored in the recording medium was previously stored in the storage unitwhen the identification information associated with the content data isfound in the storage unit.
 16. The computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 14, wherein the method further comprises issuing a warning when itis determined that the content data has been previously stored in thestorage unit.
 17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14,wherein the method further comprises updating the storage unit bystoring the identification information when content data stored in thefirst recording medium is recorded in the storage unit.
 18. Thecomputer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the method furthercomprises compressing the content data prior to copying the content datato the storage unit.
 19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim18, wherein the content data is music content and the supplementaryinformation includes one or more of an album name and a name of themusician for a track.